Abstract: Methods and systems for configuring a first switch for frontside networking. The method includes: discovering the capabilities of a second switch connected to the first switch, where the capabilities include frontside stacking; changing a port on the first switch connected to the second switch from a standard port to a frontside stacking port; discovering a topology of a network containing the first switch and the second switch; and creating a drop table having entries for at least the first switch and the second switch.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, apparatus, and method are described for providing limited data connectivity for devices connected to a switch when the switch enters bootloader mode. The switch has a central processing unit (CPU), the CPU comprising a reload handler and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC comprising ASIC forwarding logic. The ASIC is instructed, by the reload handler, to store an ASIC database, the ASIC database for storing the ASIC forwarding logic. The reload handler maintains a physical layer (PHY) state of the switch. Use of spanning tree protocol (STP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) keepalive is disabled in the switch. A state of stack hardware is retained in switch memory. New ports of the switch are prevented from becoming active, and the ASIC forwarding logic is, in response to receiving the instruction, stored in the ASIC database. Related systems, apparatuses, and methods are also described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, apparatus, and method are described for providing limited data connectivity for devices connected to a switch when the switch enters bootloader mode. The switch has a central processing unit (CPU), the CPU comprising a reload handler and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC comprising ASIC forwarding logic. The ASIC is instructed, by the reload handler, to store an ASIC database, the ASIC database for storing the ASIC forwarding logic. The reload handler maintains a physical layer (PHY) state of the switch. Use of spanning tree protocol (STP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) keepalive is disabled in the switch. A state of stack hardware is retained in switch memory. New ports of the switch are prevented from becoming active, and the ASIC forwarding logic is, in response to receiving the instruction, stored in the ASIC database. Related systems, apparatuses, and methods are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for configuring a first switch for frontside networking. The method includes: discovering the capabilities of a second switch connected to the first switch, where the capabilities include frontside stacking; changing a port on the first switch connected to the second switch from a standard port to a frontside stacking port; discovering a topology of a network containing the first switch and the second switch; and creating a drop table having entries for at least the first switch and the second switch.